Plain-English guides with worked examples and links to official sources. Each one states the date we last checked those sources.
GuideOvertime Rules by StatePlain-English overtime guide: the federal 40-hour rule plus daily overtime and double time in California, Alaska, Nevada and Colorado, with examples and sources.GuideExempt vs Non-ExemptExempt vs non-exempt explained: who gets overtime under the FLSA, the salary basis test, why job title is not enough, and how to check your own status before you track hours.GuideCalculating Hours Worked with BreaksHow to calculate hours worked with breaks: which breaks are paid or unpaid, the formula, worked examples with lunch and rest breaks, and what federal regulations say.GuideRounding Time Cards LegallyRounding time cards: the 29 CFR 785.48 rule, how the 7-minute rule works, how to test whether rounding is fair, and when employers get into trouble.GuideFilling In a Paper Time CardHow to fill in a paper time card: what each column means, how to write times, record breaks, total hours in hours and minutes, convert to decimals and avoid common mistakes.GuideBi-Weekly vs Semi-Monthly PayBi-weekly vs semi-monthly pay explained: 26 versus 24 paychecks, how the amount of each check changes, three-paycheck months, overtime and which to expect.GuideHow to Read a TimesheetHow to read a timesheet: what each column means, how to verify daily and weekly totals, spot overtime, match it to a pay stub and what records employers must keep.GuideMeal and Rest Break Laws by StateMeal and rest break rules for California, Colorado, Nevada, Alaska, New York, Oregon, Washington, Illinois and more, summarised from the U.S.GuideTime Card Mistakes and FixesThe most common time card mistakes - missed punches, wrong breaks, decimal errors, rounding, missing overtime - and a step-by-step way to find, document and fix each one.GuideTracking Hours for Freelancers and ContractorsHow to track hours as a freelancer or contractor: what to record, billable vs non-billable time, rounding for invoices, minutes to decimals and a worked invoice.
How we write these guides
Rules are stated only where we can link to the U.S. Department of Labor, the IRS or a state labor department. Everything else is arithmetic you can check yourself. Read the editorial policy.